redrobinbookreviews

Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny   Robert Wright
Describes human cultural evolution as derived from the ongoing progress of nonzerosumness, a concept from game theory. Besides being an incredibly clumsy term, I am deeply suspicious of looking back over history and seeing patterns that lead inevitably to where we are now. Also, I think he is straining to identify an underlying logic to anything to do with human “development.” Interesting history of the increasing complexity of human cultures. Wright really gets off kilter in the second part of the book where he talks about natural selection “designing” and “inventing” things. His engaging prose style made it an enjoyable read, but I am completely unconvinced by the “logic” he thinks he sees, and his notion of a human destiny. The third part about teleology and spirituality at the end was so bad to be embarrassing. A shame.